In the field of dental implant technology, Cobalt Chrome (CoCr) is a commonly used material. Dental technicians usually cast dental bridge superstructures of CoCr and subsequently burn porcelain surfaces onto them to obtain a dental prosthesis, which may be attached to dental implants in the jaw. However, the casting process is cumbersome as it requires much preparation with moulds, and the precision in the obtained products is relatively low.
An alternate method for producing a superstructure is to mill/cut a raw material, such as a cuboid or cylinder, made of a suitable material, such as CoCr, into the desired shape. However, this technology gives rise to large amount of material spill, and due to the strength of the material, the milling/cutting is very time consuming and the wear on milling/cutting tools is high.
Also, there is a problem in the field regarding the ability to treat superstructures and dental bridges in subsequent treating stations, to improve adaptation between the superstructure or dental bridge and the structure to which it is intended to be attached, since translation between for example different kind of cutters is lacking.
US 2008/241798 discloses a system for sintering a superstructure for cementing onto polished tooth or implant support structures, wherein the sintering step is followed by a cutting step, for creating a smooth inner area in the cavity to be applied onto the polished tooth or implant support structure. The internal preparation line is made smooth to facilitate cooperation with the polished tooth or support structure, and to avoid bacterial attacks, being more prone in uneven surfaces.
Hence, an improved method for producing dental prostheses would be advantageous and in particular a method allowing for increased flexibility, cost-effectiveness or user friendliness as well as translation between different machineries would be advantageous.